Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Helen Ashenden and Alan Ridgers.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 7 December 2021 were signed by the Mayor.

The Chief Executive advised that, in accordance with advice received from the Council’s Monitoring Officer, Members only needed to declare interests which had not already been listed within their Disclosable Pecuniary Interests form.

Cllr Peter Scollard declared an interest in agenda item 6. Reserved Minutes as he was the Council representative on Gravesham Community Leisure Limited (GCLL).

No questions had been received.

To receive and adopt the proceedings, reports and recommendations of the following committees, except those items reserved under Council procedure Rule 5.2 (6) and to ratify and confirm the orders made by them.

Motions that proceedings, reports and recommendations of Committees, except those reserved under Council Procedure 5.2(6) as referred to below be received and adopted and where applicable the Orders made by them be ratified and confirmed were duly proposed, seconded and resolved in each case.

·         Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on Tuesday, 4 January 2022

·         Minutes of the meeting of the Overview Scrutiny Committee held on Thursday, 13 January 2022

·         Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on Monday, 31 January 2022

·         Minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on Wednesday, 2 February 2022

·         Minutes of the meeting of the Overview Scrutiny Committee held on Thursday, 10 February 2022

·         Minutes of the meeting of the Finance and Audit Committee held on Monday, 14 February 2022

To receive and adopt the proceedings, reports and recommendations of committees contained in the list of items reserved under Council Procedure Rule 5.2(6) and to ratify the orders made by them. They will be dealt with in the following order:-

Cabinet

Finance & Audit Committee

Overview Scrutiny Committee

Planning Committee

It was moved by Cllr John Burden and seconded by Cllr Lee Croxton that:-

the reserved Minute of Cabinet (Town Pier and Pontoon) held on Monday, 4 January 2022 be ratified and confirmed.

the reserved Minute of Cabinet (Cascades Leisure Centre) held on Monday, 31 January 2022 be ratified and confirmed.

The Council received a report which requested approval of the changes to the Council Tax Reduction scheme 2022-2023 (as recommended by Cabinet on 31 January 2022) and the Financial Support Payment Scheme Policy to be implemented from 1 April 2022.

It was moved by Cllr John Burden and seconded by Cllr Lee Croxton that:-

1.    the Council Tax Reduction scheme 2022-2023 in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992 be approved; and

2.    the Financial Support Payment Scheme Policy be approved.

The motion was put to the meeting and declared to be carried unanimously.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 17.4.1, an extension of time was given to Councillor John Burden and an equal amount of time to Cllrs Jordan Meade and Harold Craske.

The Chief Executive reminded Members that all individual votes in relation to the budget and any amendments thereto would be recorded as required by legislation.

It was moved by Cllr John Burden and seconded by Cllr Lee Croxton that:-

            the motion before Council as set out in the order paper be approved.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Jordan Meade and seconded by Councillor Ejaz Aslam that:-

The ConservativeGroup movethat theBudget shouldbe amendedto provideadditional resourcesto thePlanning Directorate.

It is thus proposed that in order to strengthen our planning enforcement capabilities and to improveboth customerservice andmember engagementon planningmatters, thatthe budgetis amendedto enable:

·         Therecruitment ofan additionalPlanning EnforcementOfficer

·         The recruitment of a new Planning Liaison (Community & Member Engagement) Officer

Bothadditional Officerswould be employedon a full-timesalary andgraded at Scale5/6.

The costingfor eachpost (£36,650)has beenbased onthe estimated2022-23 staffcosts andis inclusiveof basicsalary, localallowance, EmployerPension andNational Insurance Contributions.

Total cost of amendment would be £73,300 (2022/23) plus an additional £4,000 in start-up costs, allowing for each new officer to be issued with laptops, docking stations, screens, licences, etc. tofacilitate agileworking.

This amendment will be funded from:

The TownPier &Pontoon Reserveof £135,980should betransferred intothe PlanningPolicy Reserve,rather thaninto theClimate ChangeReserve.

This wouldsee therevised PlanningPolicy Reservestand ata totalof: £568,870

The yearone costof thisamendment £73,300+ £4kstart-up costswill befunded fromdrawing onthe nowamended PlanningPolicy Reserve.

The yeartwo costof thisamendment £74,770(which includesa 2%inflationary increase)will befunded fromdrawing onthe now amendedPlanning PolicyReserve.

From year threeonwards, the two additional postswill befunded from savings:

The CommunityDirectorate (Specificallyfound fromCommunity Events& Engagementactivities)

·         CommunityEngagement G094/34504                             £11,000

·         CommunityEvents G209/34355                                      £20,000

·         StGeorge’s ArtsCentre Events G259/70230                  £20,000

·         MatchFunding (to attractexternal funds)G259/34272 £15,000

With theremaining balancemet from thePlanning PolicyReserve.

Impact on the Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP)

The fundingof the amendmentis setout inthe tablebelow:

The amendment would remove funding of £135,980 planned  ...  view the full minutes text for item 58.

The Council noted the revised Shadow Cabinet.

Councillor Anthony Pritchard to be re-appointed to the Elizabeth Huggins Cottages Charity for a four year term.

Resolved that Councillor Anthony Pritchard to be re-appointed to the Elizabeth Huggins Cottages Charity for a four year term.

No questions had been received.

The Mayor invited Members to attend her Curry and Quiz Night on 30 March 2022 and Dinner Dance on 6 May 2022.

The Mayor invited those present to join her in the Parlour for refreshments.